Door lock apparatus

ABSTRACT

Linear differential lock apparatus in which lock elements linked to pinions are activated by racks to either bodily translate or rotate. When one rack is moved one of the lock elements will tighten, the easiest to move. Upon this lock meeting resistance, another lock element, the next easiest, will move. The apparatus is effective so that the force on all the lock elements when in operation is the same.

United States Patent 1 1 Germer July 10, 1973 DOOR LOCK APPARATUS2,150,371 3/1939 Furnish 214/38 [76] Inventor: John A. Germer, c/o TheBudd company, 2450 Hunting park Pnmary ExammerlRcl )bert L. Wolfe F l AP d l ,P Att0rney-Thomas avenport, Edward M. arrel, vemle hl a e p la a132 John D. Sowell, Alford L. Trueax, Jr. and William R. [22] F1led:Jan. 18, 1971 Nolte [21] Appl. No.: 107,194

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 292/22, 292/25, 292/96, Linear differentiallook appara us in hich lock ele- 292/ 1 12, 292/199 ments linked topinions are activated by racks to either [51] Int. Cl. E05c 9/00 bodilytranslate or route When ne rac is mo ed one 581 Field of Search 292/22,25, 39, 51, of the look elements will g the easiest to move.

292/96, 112, 199, 5-7 11 Upon this lock meeting resistance, another lockelement, the next easiest, will move. The apparatus is ef- [56] Refrences Cit d fective so that the force on all the lock elements whenUNITED STATES PATENTS lll operatlon IS the same.

3/ 1890 Darmstadt 292/25 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENTED L 1 mmsum 10f 2 INVENTOR.

JOHN A. GERMER AGENT PATENIED JUL 1 01975 T A I INVENTOR.

JOHN A. GERMER AGENT DOOR LOCK APPARATUS This invention relates to lockclosure apparatus for structures such as containers having closure doorsassociated therewith. In particular the lock apparatus is useful inconnection with weather-tight doors on containers, trailers, orbuildings and in marine application requiring water-tight doors.Disadvantages of some of the lock closure apparatus for such structuresabove has arisen at times due to the mismatch of parts for example asbetween the container and its closure door. This has precluded theobtaining of the same clamping forces at different points along theinterface of the door and the door jamb. In these situations pressureapplied at successive clamping points along the door has notaccomplished uniform sealing engagement between the door and thecontainer and special adjustment apparatus has been required toaccommodate for the mismatch. In still further instances, the lockingapparatus is driven on its seating surfaces in a manner to causebinding, thereby requiring special effort to drive the locks off theirseats.

In additional other forms of the prior art, the access door or containeropenings contained in a structure require the margins of the opening tobe structurally reinforced to enable transfer of stress forces acrossthe opening.

Accordingly it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved lock apparatus for a structure which avoids one or more of thedisadvantages of the prior art lock devices.

It is still another important object of this invention to provide animproved lock apparatus for securing a door across an opening in astructure wherein said door may be clamped together to the structure atseveral points from one position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved lockapparatus for a door extending across an opening in a structure whereinthe interface between the door and the structure at the margins of theopening are clamped at a plurality of points along the interface withthe same force from one position.

It is still another important object of this invention to provide animproved lock for a door extending across an opening in a structurewherein said door is enabled to transmit forces across the door openingin the structure.

In accordance with the invention the locking apparatus for securing forexample a door across an opening in a structure comprises movable rackmeans with pinion means mounted for movement between said rack means.Clamping means are connected to the pinion means to secure the door tothe marginal surfaces of the opening of structure. The locking apparatusfurther includes means for moving the rack means to activate theclamping means into clamping engagement between the door and thestructure.

For a better understanding of the invention together with other andfurther objects thereof, reference is had to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of astructure, such as a container, and which is provided with a door andthe lock apparatus of the present invention for securing the door acrossan opening in the structure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 through aclamping assembly of the locking apparatus with the door in its closedposition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 showingthe clamping assembly in its retracted position;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 3 showing the clampingelements in FIG. 3 in successively advanced positions of securement withthe structure containing the access door opening;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view partially in section and greatlyenlarged showing a plurality of lock clamping assemblies along theperiphery of the access cover for engagement between the interfacebetween the cover and margins of the cover opening of the structure.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown the locking apparatus10 of the present invention employed to secure for example an accessdoor 11 to a structure 13 having an opening 14 therein. In the presentinstance, the structure 13 is illustrated as a closed container, but mayalso be in the form of a cargo container, a trailer, or a building.

With reference now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the lock apparatus 10 is adaptedto apply clamping pressure along a number of points between the accessdoor 11 and the marginal surfaces 15 adjacent opening 14 in the top 17of the container. For this purpose the locking apparatus 10 asillustrated in FIG. 7 includes a plurality of clamping assemblies 19,20, 21 and 22 shown disposed along one edge of the door. For clarity ofillustration identical locking assemblies disposed along the remainingmargins of the door or access cover 11 are not shown. The aforementionedclamping units 19, 20, 21 and 22 contain elements which are mounted formovement between a retracted position enclosed within the exterior toppanel 23 of access door 11 as seen in FIG. 3 and its lower interiorpanel 24, and an extended position, FIG. 4, wherein the clamping unitsextend through apertures 27 within interior panel 24 and apertures 29 intop panel 17 of structure 13. The apertures 29 are shown disposed alongthe margins of opening 14 in matched spaced relationship along panel 17with apertures 27 of the access panel of container 13.

In order to activate each of the aforementioned clamping units 19, 20,21, 22 from a retracted unlocking position shown in FIG. 3, to anextended locking position as shown in FIG. 6, differential gear means 33are provided, see FIG. 7. The latter gear means comprises a plurality oftoothed rack elements 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 with meshing pinion gears 41,43, 45 and 47 disposed between the rack elements. The gear means 33include an elongated sleeve member 48 rectangular in cross section.Sliding rack members 35, 37 and fixed rack 39 are shown resting on thelower horizontal web 49 of sleeve 48, while rack elements 36, 38 slidealong the top web of the sleeve. Pinion gear 41 is shown meshing with afar end of lower rack element 35 and the near end of rack element 36.Pinion gear 43 meshes with the far other end of rack 36 above and withthe forward end of lower rack 37. Correspondingly the far end of lowerrack 37 supports pinion 45 which in turn engages the forward near end ofupper rack 38. The remaining pinion gear 47 in the illustration shown inFIG. 7 meshes with the far end of tooth rack element 38 and the lowerrack endmost rack 39. The latter rack is fixed against longitudinalmovement to the lower web 49 of sleeve member 48.

With reference now to FIG. 7 it is seen that the clamping units 19, 20,21 and 22 are identical except that clamping units 19 and 21 face in onedirection while the clamping units 20, 22 face in an opposite directionrelative to the longitudinal axis of the locking apparatus.

With reference now to FIG. 3, clamping unit 19 is illustrated as havinga pair of elongated members 53, 53a each with a hooked end 54, 54acarrying a roller 57 extending transversely across the bottom web 49 ofsleeve member 48. A first pair of links 59, 59a are each connected tothe ends of hook members 53, 53a remote from the respective hooked ends54, 54a as at pin connection 61. The other ends of the links 59, 59a areconnected to the ends of shaft 60 secured extending through the axis ofpinion gear 41. The pinion shaft 60 is arranged so that the links 59 andthe pinion 41 are not tied together in rotation. The sidewalls 62, 63 ofsleeve 48 are slotted as at 64 to enable longitudinal travel of the endsof pinion shaft 60 along the sleeve I member 48. A second pair of links65, 65a pivotally connected to earred brackets 68 secured to the bottomwall 49 of the sleeve member as at 69 while the opposite ends of saidlinks are pivotally connected to the hook members 53, 53a midway of thelength of the latter as at 70. Spring members 71, 71a attached at theirrespective upper ends to pin connection 61 and at their opposite ends atanchor pins 72 exert a downward force on hooked members 53, 53a. Stopelement 75 secured to the sidewalls 62, 63 of the sleeve member limitthe upward counter-clockwise travel of links 59 when the clampingassembly is in its retracted position.

In operation when drive screw 76, FIG. 7, is turned in the appropriatedirection, for example, rack 35 is forced to the left. The first pinion41 can first either walk on rack 36 moving to the left or locking, orsecondly remain in position and rotating on its axis driving rack'36 tothe right. Pinion 41 will choose the motion which offers the leastresistance. When rack 36 moves to the right pinion 43 will either moveto the right and lock or drive rack 37 to the left. The processcontinues to rack 39 which cannot move because it is fixed to the bottomwall 49 of sleeve 48.

The net effect is that when the drive screw 49 is turned, one of theclamping assemblies will move to tighten, i.e., the easiest one. Whenthe clamping assembly meets resistance another locking assembly willmove. The locking apparatus 33 is so arranged that the force on all ofthe clamping assemblies will be the same. If there is compliance in thestructure, that is, if one of the clamping assemblies deforms or bendsthe structure so that the force is relieved from another clampingassembly, the clamping assembly so relieved will move and tighten.

While there has been described what at present is considered to be thepreferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein, without departing from the invention, and it is aimed to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Lock apparatus for securing a first member to a second membercomprising in combination, .gear means, means mounting said gear meansfor linear movement in said first member, clamping .rneans, meansmounting said clamping means to said gear means for movement between aretracted position and an extended position into clamping engagementwith said second member, and means for moving said gear means relativeto said means mounting said gear means to cause said clamping means tomove into engagement with said second member.

2. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gear meansinclude rack members and pinions.

3. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means mountingsaid gear means for linear movement include sleeve means, and rackmembers include a plurality of slidable racks mounted in said sleevemeans for linear movement.

4. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said rack membersinclude a a rack member fixed against movement to said sleeve member.

5. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for movingsaid gear means for linear movement include screw means mounted to saidsleeve means and connected to one of said slidable racks.

6. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including means mounting saidpinions to said sleeve means for rotation and for bodily movementrelative to said sleeve means.

7. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said pinions areengaged between said rack members and wherein said clamping means aresecured to said pinions. I

8. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clamping meansinclude roller means for engagement with said second member along aplurality of points.

9. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clamping meansinclude a plurality of clamping assemblies, and wherein each clampingassembly is secured to a respective pinion of said pinions.

10. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein each said clampingassembly includes a hook member mounting said roller means, and linkmeans interconnecting a pinion with said hook member.

1. Lock apparatus for securing a first member to a second membercomprising in combination, gear means, means mounting said gear meansfor linear movement in said first member, clamping means, means mountingsaid clamping means to said gear means for movement between a retractedposition and an extended position into clamping engagement with saidsecond member, and means for moving said gear means relative to saidmeans mounting said gear means to cause said clamping means to move intoengagement with said second member.
 2. Lock apparatus as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said gear means include rack members and pinions. 3.Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means mounting saidgear means for linear movement include sleeve means, and rack membersinclude a plurality of slidable racks mounted in said sleeve means forlinear movement.
 4. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidrack members include a a rack member fixed against movement to saidsleeve member.
 5. LOck apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein saidmeans for moving said gear means for linear movement include screw meansmounted to said sleeve means and connected to one of said slidableracks.
 6. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including meansmounting said pinions to said sleeve means for rotation and for bodilymovement relative to said sleeve means.
 7. Lock apparatus as set forthin claim 6 wherein said pinions are engaged between said rack membersand wherein said clamping means are secured to said pinions.
 8. Lockapparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clamping means includeroller means for engagement with said second member along a plurality ofpoints.
 9. Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clampingmeans include a plurality of clamping assemblies, and wherein eachclamping assembly is secured to a respective pinion of said pinions. 10.Lock apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein each said clampingassembly includes a hook member mounting said roller means, and linkmeans interconnecting a pinion with said hook member.